Bed protector



M. G.' OSBORN BED PROTECTOR Filed March 22, 1956 I Nov. 24, 1959 EINVENTOR. M554 6. 0550/2.

continues rnnwnorncron Mab'eleG. Osborn, :Knox, 31nd.iApplica'tionMarch"22, '1956;"Serial"No.'573,272

claims. atta ns-281 This "invent-ion relates "to improvements" in bedfprotecto'rs, and niofejparticularlyto'a bedjprot'ector adapted "foruse''peop1e1suffering illnesses or conditions which vent zthem"fremwnntrdlling their "bodily functions. hefd'evice isfpa'rticdlarly"designed and intended for .use 'byadultsfsuchasaged'peoplewhosemindsarenot clear so that they have no comprehensionof their condition and 1 no realization of the occurrence of bodilyfunctions. It

will be 'uri'derstood,"however, that" thedevice'may also be employed insmal ler' sizesifor use by. infants.

, -The primary object of the invention is to -provide a device of thischaracter which canbereadilyapplied to and released from a bed-riddenperson. I

1:A furthenobject is to provide-adevice of this character constructe d'with a waterproof outer sheath and a deta'chtable absorbent liner, soconstructed that the linermay -.readily be.applied to and removedlfromthe sheath, and

the sheath being so constructed as to retain and anchor the absorbentlineriportion inrdesiredtrelation thereto and in -a confined positionwhich insures against. leakage of inoist'u're' from the' liner to theeXterior'of the sheath.

A further'obje'ct 'is'to provide a device of this character withretaining means resisting ready removal of the garment by the wearerthereof, and particularly resisting removal by patients whose minds arenot clear, and which at the same time is readily releasable by anattendant or nurse.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a plan view of the device in open position, viewed at theinterior thereof, and with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view taken on line 22of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a prespective view illustrating the device in its assembledcondition.

Referring to the drawing which illustrates the preferred embodiment ofthe invention, the numeral 10 designates a sheath which is preferablyformed of plastic sheeting, rubber sheeting, or moisture-resistant filmmaterial capable of being easily cleaned and which is non-absorbent.Thus the material may constitute a rubberized fabric or plastic sheetmaterial, such as vinyl copolymer resin sheet. The sheath 10 ispreferably of substantially the form illustrated in Fig. 1, beingcharacterized by opposite end portions 12 and 14, which are of greaterwidth than a central or intermediate portion 16. In the preferred formthe sheath preferably is somewhat wider at portion 12 than at portion14, and the opposite side edges of the portion 12 may preferably becurved. The portion 14 may be of general arcuate outline as shown, andthe side edges of the intermediate portion 16 are preferably I arcuatelyor substantially semi-circularly curved. One or more marginal strips 18are secured to the k margin of the sheath 10, as by stitching thereof at20.

The strip or strips 18 preferably extend continuously or endlessly, butmay be interrupted if desired. The outer 2,914,069 .Ratented ...Nov..24, 1959 2 margins of.the. shea'th '10 and .the. strip or strips .18,are prferablyinturnd at" 11; andl19, as illus.trated..inF i g.. 2, .at.the parts .which. are stitched, fforthe purpose ofimprovingnhetstrength, of .the connection therebetween by -the=stitcliing .20, and for ."the further purpose ofspacing theshea'th 10and=the.-marg'inal strip orstrips'18 so as to form-a .marginal pocket orpo'ckets .to confine therebetween the t-marginal portions or a liner orpad'22. The 1 linerf22 is "formed of anysuitablematerial such as fabriccharacterized "by absorbent properties, and ispreferably ofsiibstantia'lly'fthe same shape as the member ,12. so asto fitmarginally under the marginal strip or 'strips18 to be retained thereby.At the same time .the.liner'.22 may easily be withdrawn from 'the sheathand a new liner member, 22 may be introduced in place thereof. .Theliner 22 rriaybeformed of multiple thicknesses of fabric or other sheetmaterial.

A plurality of straps 24 are stitched or otherwise anchored at oneen'dthereof atone margin ofthepart 12 of the shea'th'in spaced relationandextending laterally from the "sheath. "Buckles or other securingmembers 26 arecar'riedbyfithefree ends of the straps 24. One of thestraps f24 shown uppermost inFig. 1 willpreferably be ':locate"dadjacent to the margin'28 of the sheath shown with. the bucklesf26. The.transverse dimension of thepart 12 ofthesheath'willpreferably'bei onlyslightly less than thegir'th'of the individual who is to wear thesame,so that the .gppositeendsof the'part 12 of the sheath maybebrou'ght'close to each;other, as'illustrated in Fig. 3,whenpassed'around" the body, sothat the same may be held in place whenthe straps 30 are interlocked with the buckles 26.

A tab 32 is secured to the center of the end of the portion 14 of thesheath to extend lengthwise from the sheath. This tab will be of alength greater than the spacing of the outermost straps 30.

When the garment is worn, the portion 12 of the sheath forms the backpart thereof, the portion 16 thereof forms the crotch, and the portion14 forms the front panel. The opposite side margins of the front panel14 are overlapped by the opposite side margins of the back panel 12 ofthe sheath, as illustrated in Fig. 3. After the straps 30 areinterengaged with the buckles 26 to hold the gar ment in assembledanchored position, the tongue 32 is interlaced with the straps, asillustrated in Fig. 3. Thus the tongue is illustrated in Fig. 3 as beingpassed exteriorly of the uppermost buckle 26 and passed under the twolowermost buckle and strap units 24, 26, 30. It will be understood thattwo or more buckles and straps may be provided, and that, if desired,the interlacing may be accomplished or arranged differently than hereillustrated. The strap units are protected by the tongue 32 in a mannerto retard the wearer from tampering therewith to release and remove thesame. The release of garmentretaining means is a serious problem withaged people whose fingers retain substantial strength and dexterity butwhose mental condition renders them irresponsible and likely to performacts detrimental to their best condition and comfort. The presentconstruction effectively meets this problem. At the same time nurses andattendants may easily manipulate the device whenever desired.

One of the advantages of this construction is that the sheath is totallyseparable from the moisture-absorbent liner and, therefore, may readilybe washed or cleaned individually whenever required. Thus, when changesare device is the fact that any single device will fit persons I in asubstantial range of sizes because of the adjustability of the length ofthe straps 24, 26, 30, and because of the overlapping of the sideportions of the ends 12 and 14 of the sheath in the assembled conditionof the device.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed herein, it will be understood that changes in the constructionmay be made within the scope of the appended claims without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A bed protector comprising a flexible sheet of nonabsorbent materialhaving opposed end portions separated by a crotch portion, a narrowmarginal endless retainer strip secured marginally to said sheet andprojecting inwardly from the edge thereof, an absorbent member ofsubstantially the same shape as said sheet superimposed on said sheetwith its margins underlapping said strip, and a plurality of spacedelongated flexible members carried by opposite side margins of one ofsaid sheet end portions and detachably interconnected adjacent theirfree ends, said crotch portion being curved with the ends of its edgesextending at a sharp angle to the side edges of said end portions andbeing narrow whereby said strip portions lie substantially flat againstthe body when worn to hold said strip in marginal retaining contact withsaid retainer strip carried by said sheet and projecting inwardly fromthe edge thereof, an absorbent member superimposed on said sheet withits margin underlapping said strip, a plurality of spaced elongatedmembers detachably and adjustably connecting opposite side margins ofone of said sheet end portions, and a flexible tongue carried by andprojecting longitudinally from the other end portion, said tongue beinginterlaced with said connecting members.

3. A bed protector comprising a flexible sheet of nonabsorbent materialhaving opposed end portions separated by a narrow crotch portion, anarrow retainer strip extending around and secured to the margin of saidsheet and projecting inwardly from .the edge thereof, an absorbentmember of substantially "the same shape as said sheet superimposed onsaid sheet with its margin underlapping said strip, and a plurality ofspaced elongated members secured to opposite side margins of one of saidsheet end portions and detachably connected at their free end portionsspaced from said sheet end side margins to hold the latter inoverlapping relation to the opposite sheet end portion when worn, theouter margins of said sheet and retainer strip being inturned and beingstitched together by stitching passing therethrough and through saidinturned portions said retainer strip normally bearing fiat on saidsheet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS584,490 Warren June 15, 1897 1,684,046 Smith Sept. 11, 1928 2,224,518Lakritz Dec. 10, 1940 2,294,617 Horowitz Sept. 1, 1942 2,575,163 DonovanNov. 13, 1951 2,754,824 Blaufus July 17, 1956 2,830,589 Doner Apr. 15,1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 68,881 Denmark Mar. 28, 1949 986,702 France Apr. 4,1951

